Reactions to skill assessment: the forgotten factor in explaining motivation to learn

Citation

Bell, B.S. (2007), "Reactions to skill assessment: the forgotten factor in explaining motivation to learn", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 21 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/dlo.2007.08121ead.007

Reactions to skill assessment: the forgotten factor in explaining motivation to learn

Reactions to skill assessment: the forgotten factor in explaining motivation to learn

Bell B.S., Ford J.K. Human Resource Development Quarterly, Spring 2007, Vol. 18 No. 1, Start page: 33, No. of pages: 30

Purpose – investigates how trainees react to pre-training skill assessments and how this affects their motivation to learn from the training and improve their performance. Design/methodology/approach – sets out a model of the relationships between trainees’ perceptions of the pre-training assessment of their performance (particularly the utility of this and its distributive justice), their motivation to learn and the outcomes of the training. Tests these relationships out by surveying and studying the performance tests of 152 US individuals enrolled on a truck driving training course. Findings – reports that the trainees’ perceptions of distributive justice and the utility of the pre-training skills assessment had a positive effect to their motivation to learn, concluding that the credibility of training needs assessment is an important factor in the driving motivation to learn. Also reports that trainees who were high in learning orientation reacted more favourably to the skill assessment and had an important influence on how the trainees responded to negative assessment feedback, as did their performance-avoid orientation. Also confirms that learning orientation had an impact on the attitudes of the trainees towards the training and their post-training performance. Research limitations/ implications – describes the research and the analysis, also discussing further areas for research. Practical implications – considers the implications of the research for training practice. Originality/value – studies how pre-training skill assessments affect the effectiveness of training.ISSN: 1044-8004Reference: 36AL555

Keywords: Assessment, Learning, Performance management, Training, USA